Teenager jailed for role in Swords armed burglary

A 16-year-old boy has been given a four-month sentence for his role in an armed burglary at a Dublin bookmakers.

The boy, who cannot be named because he is a juvenile, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Children's Court to burglary at at Boylesports on Main Street in Swords on February 9th.

Garda Conor Tumbleton told Judge John O’Connor the boy and a co-defendant were discovered after the alarm activated. They fled the bookmakers and got onto the roof of an adjacent building.

They jumped onto a flat roof of another building and they refused to get down. Garda negotiators were called out and eventually the pair came down.

CCTV from the bookmakers showed the co-accused had a gun which was later recovered from the roof, said Garda Tumbleton.

Garda Tumbleton said that the weapon has been analysed and was found to be a 6mm airgun but it was a “realistic imitation”.

No one was in the bookmakers at the time, the court also heard. The teenager had nine prior criminal convictions which included burglary and other theft offences.

Finalisation of the case had been adjourned to allow time for a pre-sentence probation report to be furnished to the court.

In mitigation pleas, defence counsel Damian McKeone addressed the court and asked Judge O’Connor to note the boy’s young age. He said the teenager is in full-time care of Child and Family Agency and had a drug problem but has started to engage with a substance abuse treatment service.

He has also managed to get work and has recently resumed having contact with his family.

The boy, was accompanied to court by his mother and staff from his care home, and sat silently as the judge said he had considered imposing a 12-month sentence but in light of the probation report he said he was giving the youth four months’ detention.

Judge O’Connor also ordered that the teenager would be required to remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for four months after his sentence ends.

The boy also had a breach of the peace charge taken into consideration while his remaining charges -  burglary, robbery and cannabis possession – were adjourned until a later date.

An 18-year-old co-defendant is also before the courts in connection with the burglary.